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Carrie Coon (left) and Justin Theorux reunite in the final moments of the series finale of HBO’s “The Leftovers.” [HBO photo]

THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE SERIES FINALE OF HBO SERIES “THE LEFTOVERS.”

“Nothing is answered. Everything is answered. And then it ends.”

The official HBO synopsis for Sunday’s series finale of “The Leftovers” reads as though it was tapped from the same vein through which the series itself flows. In just three sentences, it’s a darkly comical, proudly vague and unflinchingly crass reflection of creators Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta’s disinterest in answering every question they’ve posed — right the bitter end.

Thankfully, the stunning and simplistic final episode of the show’s incomparable three-season run does offer viewers who stuck by it through the dreary, the unexplained and the gorgeously baffling an immensely satisfying send-off that is surprisingly and wonderfully cathartic.

In the final moments of episode, the camera settles in on its two anchors — Carrie Coon’s Nora and Justin Theroux’s Kevin — sitting on opposite ends of her dining room table. “The Leftovers” has never been afraid of big jumps, be they geographical (Mapleton to Jarden to Australia) or planes of existence (life to purgatory-ish). So it’s fitting in its final episode, the series take one final leap — several decades into the future.

To read the full reflection on “The Leftovers” and the series finale, head over to the StarNews.

The remarkable first two seasons of “The Leftovers,” HBO’s exploration of grief in the wake of a global rapture, forged a reputation for tackling a litany of heavy topics — religion, depression, cult-enforced chain smoking, existential trips to the afterlife, bad karaoke singing and, more broadly, the meaning of life itself. Needless to say, smiling and laughter weren’t often on the table.

So it’s a bit unnerving to see a fair amount of both in the premiere of the show’s third and final season, beginning 9 p.m. Sunday.… Read More »

Even in the current world of streaming giants and a few hundred networks, the chances of life after cancellation are slim.

So it was a bittersweet moment for fans (myself included) of HBO’s gay drama “Looking” last fall when the network cancelled the critically acclaimed but little-watched show, only to promise movie to tie up loose ends.

“Looking” served a community of television viewers who are scarcely offered consistent programming reflecting their daily life. Among today’s some 400 annual TV shows, LGBT characters largely serve supporting (and often expendable) roles on television, making a show like “Looking” important, rare and something that will leave a void.

It was frank and unflinching in its depiction of gay life in the age of dating apps that can pinpoint an available suitor within feet – all while tracing the streets of the neighborhoods in San Francisco where the gay rights movement was nurtured.

Airing 9 p.m. Saturday, the effective-but-imperfect wrap-up movie continues much of what earned the show its praise and occasional criticism. It’s a understated love letter to fans that found themselves invested in the core group of ordinary thirty-somethings impressively fleshed out over just 18 episodes.

In the film, Patrick (Jonathan Groff) returns to San Francisco for a wedding after accepting a job in Denver following the season two finale, during which he broke up with his boyfriend, Kevin (Russell Tovey), and shared a fleeting romantic moment with his ex, Ritchie (Raul Castillo).

From the outset, it is clear but not wholly surprising that director Andrew Haigh and creator/writer Michael Lannan remain committed to almost exclusively servicing Patrick’s story first and his friends second – despite the show increasingly embracing its talented ensemble in season two (the Doris-centric “Looking for a Plot” episode is a standout).

Even with two seasons of stories behind them, Dom (Murray Bartlett) and Augustin (Frankie J. Alvarez) – Patrick’s two best friends and the show’s co-leads – are relegated to supporting characters flanking Patrick’s leading man — who appears in every scene in the movie. This despite both proving on multiple occasions to be more compelling characters than Patrick in his own story.

Still, it’s just a pleasure to see this trio – and Lauren Weedman’s brass but lovable Doris – once again in their natural habitat, grappling with the issues of commitment, their past transgresses and uncertainties about the future.

Fans get their confrontations and resolutions – including an extended reunion between Patrick and Kevin. But it never uses its new cinematic framework to create situations that feel inauthentic to the show’s foundation. There are no big cameos (though Tyne Daly does turn in a wonderful bit part) or wild road trips – just some of the leaps some TV shows succumb to in their transition to film. These final chapters for Patrick, Dom, Augustin and Doris are grounded, much like the show’s storylines were.

In this way, the “Looking” movie feels like another episode of of the series – just longer and with a little poignant finality thrown into the mix.

As a voting member of the Television Critics Association, I’m thrilled to announce that despite no (!!!) nomination in the best drama series at the Emmys, CBS’ “The Good Wife” won Outstanding Achievement in Drama at this year’s TCA Awards.
The full list of winners are after the jump:… Read More »

HBO’s Sunday night programming is having a good month. Hot on the heels of the “Games of Thrones” two-season renewal, HBO announced today it wants more of comedies “Veep” and “Silicon Valley.” … Read More »

Two literary titans of the 20th Century ­– Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn – appear on HBO this week played by two of the most prominent actors of the 21st Century – Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen.… Read More »

The men of “Entourage” gathered for one last time (you know, until the much-discussed movie) at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Thursday to pay tribute to their show’s eighth and final season.

Among the actors in contention for an Academy Award this year are two performers quite familiar with Wilmington. Michelle Williams, who spent six seasons in the Port City filming “Dawson’s Creek” back in the day, is nominated for her leading role in the tragic love story “Blue Valentine.” It’s Williams’ second nomination. She earned a supporting nod for her turn in “Brokeback Mountain.” John Hawkes also is up for a trophy this year for his excellent supporting role in “Winter’s… Read More »

The Golden Globes may not mean very much in the grand scheme of things, but the Hollywood Foreign Press does throw a good party. I’ll be blogging throughout the ceremony, beginning at 8 tonight. Check back to see the latest winners, snubs and ceremony highlights. And weigh in in the comments section about who you think deserved the trophy. See you back here around 8….. 7:54 p.m.: Well the red carpet was more interesting tahn in past years, thanks to… Read More »

Carrie Fisher would be the first person to tell you that she’s not normal. She grew up as “Hollywood royalty,” the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. She rocketed to international fame at a young age when she was cast a Princess Leia in “Star Wars.” She grew addicted to drugs. She woke up one morning to find a dead man in her bed. The list goes on. But in “Wishful Drinking,” the memoir turned stage show turned HBO… Read More »

More good news for the local film industry…. probably. At least a little. I think.

Deadline Hollywood reported today that HBO has officially renewed “Eastbound & Down” for a third season. This means fans of the bawdy comedy will get to see more of Danny McBride as washed out baseball pitcher Kenny Powers. What it means for Wilmington, though, is less clear. … Read More »

Scripted cable shows dominate the summer (from around May through August) and a few months in winter (staring in January), because those are the times are favorite network shows are on hiatus or airing repeats. But as cable networks like HBO and FX continue to build stables of solid programs, they are branching out into the rest of the year, even going head to head with the networks fall premieres. Here are some highlights of the new and returning shows… Read More »